


a gentle sound, the rollin' in the graves

by lionettscourage



Category: Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir
Genre: Alternate Universe, Epistolary, F/F, Military Hero!Gideon AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:33:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21679804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionettscourage/pseuds/lionettscourage
Summary: Griddle,I await the news of your death with barely contained excitement.Worst Regards,Harrowhark Nonagesimusor,Gideon escapes... but doesn't fully leave the ninth behind
Relationships: Gideon Nav & Jeannemary Chatur (mentioned), Gideon Nav & the terrible teens (mentioned), Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus
Comments: 17
Kudos: 91





	1. Letters I-VI

Letter I.

 ** _to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

NOT FUCKING DREARBURH, THAT’S FOR SURE

Your majesty, lady of crepuscular slime, etc, etc etc, 

I bet you can’t believe your eyes now that I’m gone. And I really am – out here in space and far away from you and your harrowing (hA!) planet. The second house seems to appreciate my skills, even if your dumb arse didn’t. My plan, I’ll have you know, was executed perfectly. Since it will aggravate you to no end, I suppose I’ll bore you with the details. I crept out early, before the first bell. The key was easy enough to pilfer from one of your skeleton guards – honestly Harrow, I thought you were _good_ at bone constructs. Your name is on the transport request – not that I care if the Necrolord comes down on your head for use of resources or whatever but… you should probably know about it. Anyway, gotta dash, off to save the universe and all that.

Not yours and certainly not the ninth’s, 

Gideon motherfucking Nav, **private** of the Second House

  
  
  


Letter II.

 ** _to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** nobody, private of the Second House

DREARBURH.

Griddle,

I was surprised and quite displeased to receive your letter. You have made it quite clear how you feel about the Ninth House, and thus I do not believe that it is necessary for you to contact us any further. For your information, the only reason why you left this planet in anything other than a body bag was that I stopped Aiglamene from running after you. If I had wanted you here, trust me, you would still be here. 

Worst regards, 

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

Letter III.

 ** _to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

THE HOUSE OF THE SECOND

Horrorhark Nonabarfimus, 

Careful Harrow, if you keep being so nice, I might think that you don’t loathe me with the entirety of your soul! I got my first assignment today, taking my sword to the front line. It’s an honorable role for a newbie from the ninth house, they say. (Imagine that, you and your stupid planet are still out to ruin me! You should be happy about that at least). Aiglamene would laugh at the training facilities here. They’re nicer (and cleaner) than the ninth house for sure, but half of the kids here barely know how to use a blade. And let me tell you – they are kids, your esteemed ladyship. I’m working with this necro and cav that must be fucking 13. They’re terrible brats from the fourth house, and there’s no way they should be in charge of _anything_ , but there’s that. Personal security for some suicidal teens is better than nothing, and at least they’re going to the front lines. 

See you on the other side (of me being a badass),

Gideon Nav, private of the Second

Letter IV.

 ** _to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** nobody, private of the Second House

DREARBURH.

Griddle, 

I await the news of your death with barely contained excitement.

Worst Regards, 

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

Letter V.

 ** _to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

BATTLEFIELD, R--------

Horrible lady of the Ninth, 

Sorry to tell you that I ain’t dead yet! Unfortunately for you, Aiglamene is a fairly competent teacher (do NOT tell her I said that). The teens are alive too, though one of them is a necromancer and one uses a wimpy ass rapier, so they may not be for long. Though of course, that’s my job. At least these kids are less mind numbing than Ortus – I’m surprised you haven’t up and carked it from his sonnets yet. Can’t write down much about what’s going on out here – it’d all be censored anyway. We sleep as units, which is the weirdest thing ever (yeah, even weirder than you, Nonagesimus). You wouldn’t believe the food and the stuff we’ve got here. I swear, I didn’t realize the Ninth was _that_ broke. It’s bland and boring for most of the soldiers here, but I’m just glad to not be eating leeks and protein paste. 

I’m most thankful that these folks don’t insist on that awful face paint that we’ve got on the ninth, even if no one is quite as metal-looking without it. Just for you:

I pray the tomb is locked forever, 

Gideon Nav, private of the second

Letter VI.

 ** _to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** private of the Second House

DREARBURH.

Griddle,

I am no longer in any danger from Ortus’ deathly poetry, as he and his damnable cowardly mother fled back to the eighth. Good riddance, I say in any case. Glaurica’s blathering was getting on my nerves even more than Ortus’ slouching and his horrid poetry. It is blessedly quiet on the ninth now that you all are gone. Aiglamene sends her regards and thanks you for the compliment. The leeks and protein paste you so disparage have absurdly risen in quality now that you are gone - it is as I always suspected: you were a curse on the ninth. I can only imagine the trouble that you are likely getting into wherever you are, ruining the reputation of my house. The second is a strict place, and from the reports we get here on the ninth, the war is grueling, nothing like those horrid magazines that you would read. I will remind you that you yourself are 19, and thus have little grounds for calling anyone a horrible teenager, unless you are willing to include yourself in the remark. Not that you would care, but my necromancy studies are progressing well. Though there is nothing to test them against, I believe that I have found the key to creating regenerative bone. It is mentioned in some obscure texts about lyctorhood – not that I have much hope of ascending to that rank now that my cavalier has jumped planet. Perhaps if the emperor could just see what I am able to do… 

Still waiting on your inevitable death, 

Harrowhark Nonagesimus 


	2. Letters VII-X

Letter VII.

 ** _to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth, Reverend Daughter of Drearburh

THE HOUSE OF THE SECOND

Lady Nonagesimus,

I truly cannot believe that Ortus is gone – or that you let him leave for that matter. I’d be careful, or people are going to think you’re a soft touch. The ninth house seems so far away now, all of the smell of skeletons and recyc. Not that I miss it or anything. Second house is way nicer, and they have things like actual FOOD and actual SOAP (did you know that most soap is not actually made out of rendered human fat? What the FUCK is up with the ninth?). You claim to know so much about the war, so maybe you won’t be surprised that the last battle went absolutely tits up (shut up, it’s my letter and I’m allowed to be crass). Don’t worry about your house’s precious reputation though. I pulled through, and the fourth’s dumb necro and cav pulled through with me. Jeannemary (that’s the cav) is actually fairly good in a tight spot, despite insisting on using that stupid rapier. We got cornered on… well that’s not the point. We got cornered, and the necro went down for a while – something about too much thanurgy, or too little, I’m not really sure. Jeannemary and I were able to hold out for a while, just enough time to get picked up. The battalion we were with didn’t make it through – if there were any survivors, it wasn’t many. Isaac and Jeannemary are still alive though, and that’s the main thing. They’re promoting me to permanent guard of the kids. On that note– I resent you insisting that I’m just as much a teenager as these INFANTS. Trust me, if you saw them, you’d realize. They’re two little squeaky lumps with squishy faces and a horribly suspicious lack of acne. Seriously, at their age, I was breaking out face to tits, and these fucker are smooth as babies.

You trying some random shit in obscure texts about lyctorhood when there hasn’t been another lyctor for 10,000 years or some such shit is just so fucking in-character.

All my hate,

Gideon Nav, Private of the Second, Personal Guard of the Fourth

Letter VIII.

 ** _to_** **_Camille Chatur,_** private-in-training of the Second House

THE HOUSE OF THE SECOND.

Camille,

You made me promise to write, but I was loathe to do so without some news of success. You know as well as I do the destiny of the Fourth, and I must admit that I believed I would succumb to it in the last few days. You do not like to hear this, little sister, but I must tell you. Isaac fell on the battlefield. He… overexerted himself I suppose you could say. When the thanurgy ran out, he kept trying to pull it. It was just a faint, but Camille, the fear that went through my heart when his knees buckled. I wish I could say that it was my skill that kept us alive, but we wouldn’t have made it out without our new guard. She’s a niner, called Gideon, and she wields a longsword. She fights how I wish that I could, in a violent brawling way that keeps us alive on the battlefield. She is also incredibly strange, and crass – but what does that matter when dealing with life or death? She was supposed to be a temporary replacement, but after the battle, Magnus has decided to promote her to permanent guard. I suppose that I will get used to her painted face (painted every morning to look like a skull, if you can believe it) and her clacking knucklebone prayers that she thinks we don’t hear.

Au revoir,

Jeannemary

Letter IX.

 ** _to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** private of the Second House

DREARBURH.

Griddle,

What on earth is it that you’re fighting that it took out an entire battalion – and how, for that matter, were _you_ able to stay alive? I am aware that you most likely cannot tell me but for God’s sake Gideon. Is it even _worth_ fighting if this is the effect that it has on the, as much as it pains me to say it, fairly competent Cohort of the ninth? There hasn’t been lyctors in 10,000 years, but there may soon be new ones and perhaps this destruction is why. The ninth house have received summons – a trial for necromancer and cavalier, held at the first house. Finally, a test that could prove the worth of the Ninth house and we cannot complete it. I can only hope that it will not matter, that my skills can prevail beyond the need for a damn cavalier. If only you were here to be dragged (kicking and screaming I am sure) into the role. But that was not to be, because I let you go when I didn’t even know, didn’t even understand how… In any case, that is not what is important. Unless you have suddenly slimmed out, I am sure that you as well have a trace of squeakiness, and of lumpiness for that matter. I imagine that you are quite disappointed on the point of being the fourths personal guard, but I cannot help being glad that you survived with them. At least the ninth isn’t seen as completely incompetent.

Worst,

Harrowhark Nonagesimus

Letter X.

 ** _to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth

COHORT STATION 7

Harrowhark Nonaphlegminus, your esteemed necromanceriness,

You are correct in guessing that I can tell you absolutely nothing. And by nothing I mean even less than nothing, because that would require me to know things. I see things, I hit them, and these days I try to avoid thanurgy bombs too. Isaac seems to be absolutely enchanted by the idea that the ninth creates bone constructs and is immensely disappointed that I can’t give him more detail than the fact that they _bone_. (The teens groan every time I use a pun and say that I am just like Magnus. Whoever this guy is, I think I like him already). Jeannemary at least, appreciates that the bulk of my knowledge is in swords. She is picking up knowledge of the long-sword fast, though goddamn, the amount of times I have to tell that kid to just block the fucking blow rather than doing some fancy-schmancy dodge and _parry_ is ridiculous. Still, she’s been training for ages and at least has a sense of movement and some muscle mass. We’re holed up at some cohort station right now, so there’s time for training at least. Isaac is insisting that we need to visit some library, so we are probably going to be flying off to the sixth house next. You are nothing if not dedicated, Harrowhark, and I’m sure that you could make the Emperor believe whatever you damn well pleased.

Till the next,

Gideon Nav, Private of the Second, Personal Guard of the Fourth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's un-beta'ed cuz I'm too impatient and just wanted to post :(.  
> Thanks as always to the discord.


	3. Letters XI-XIV

Letter XI.

**_to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** private of the Second House, guard of the Fourth

DREARBURH.

Griddle,

It is good that your training of this girl is going well. All the better to have two bodies strong enough to hold back these mysterious forces you speak of. As for your necromancer, how excellent that he should wish to understand the necromancy of the ninth. I have included with this letter some books for his perusal – they are truly elementary texts on bone constructs, things that I was reading at 7, but for a boy with no background in the stuff, they should be useful. Tell him that the basics will be aided with his background, which I am to assume is typical 4th house necromancy. He already knows how to harness thanergy, he just needs to work on controlling it now, putting the dead to use rather than exploding their still warm corpses. It may be hard for the boy to learn from books, but they worked for me, so if they don’t for him he is not trying hard enough.

Your lack of knowledge on the subject of the war is both utterly frustrating and utterly expected. You never were a good scion of the ninth – as much as I or anybody wished you to just do what you were _supposed_ to. I could order you to tell me – to risk your entire station in the pursuit of the ninth gaining just a sliver more knowledge. For all the good that would do. And even then, I released you. Despite your name, you are very much not a niner and to hold you here, forcing you into our rituals and our prayers was like caging some wild thing. As much as I tried, you couldn’t be broken of the urge to be free.

Nevertheless, I must admit, now in one of my weaker moments, as to how incredibly strange it is to have you gone. You and Ortus. You both were the only forces ever able to break the silence of this place. Without you the clicking of the knuckle bones has only grown louder, as if to compensate for the lack of your loud voice and crass humor. Not that I mind the quiet. If anything, it leaves me able to prepare as I could not with two inconvenient twits such as you and Ortus. The trial fast approaches – we are to depart the ninth house in just 13 days. It will be strange leaving the planet that I have lived on my entire 18 years, but do so I must if I am to have any hope of. Well, any hope of anything I suppose. And you did it of course. How did you do it Gideon? All I see stretching before me is the vastness of space and unknown planet and just. I’m just lost.

Harrowhark

Letter XII.

**_to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth

HOUSE OF THE SIXTH

Harrowhark,

Isaac appreciated the books greatly. He’s been reading them every night, as soon as there is any breath of respite. We met up with the Warden here on the sixth – you’ll meet him soon enough, as he’s scampering off to join the lyctor trials as the preeminent necromance of his house. We have got what we came here for – or at least Isaac seems to think so. We’re to deliver it to the Fifth before they depart for the lyctor trial as well. Lucky you, Nonagesimus, you’re going to the social hotspot of the millenium

You say that I did it – that I was able to just leave, but that is what you do not understand Harrow. If you are only beginning to be lost now, then we have never been in accord on that point. I have been lost and alone my whole goddamn time on the ninth and it is so fucking hard to let go of that. But I suppose I know the feeling of being unable to let go of the only thing you know. How did we ever survive? The years of nothingness and cruelty and you _hating_ me. You’ve realized now how caged I was but couldn’t you have realized it sooner?

Anyway. What does that matter anymore? You’re off to your trial and I’m off to the battlefield eventually. I am not even entirely sure why we continue this masquerade of communication. Shouldn’t we just let go?

Worst,

Gideon Nav

Letter XIII.

**_to_** **_Gideon Nav,_** private of the Second House, guard of the Fourth

COHORT STATION 12.

Griddle,

You will be happy, I am sure, to hear that I have failed. I was not able even to gain access to the planet without a cavalier. Here I am, stuck again in the background, regarded as some member of a dying and minor cult.

You ask if we should just let go – would you really be that cruel? This is all I have anymore – would you take that from me, just as you have taken everything else? Don’t worry, I hate you with all of my fucking soul, but don’t you dare take this away from me too.

Harrowhark

Letter XIV.

**_to_** **_Harrowhark Nonagesimus,_** heir to the House of the Ninth

COHORT BASE, E-----

Nonagesimus,

Ease up will you? I was in a philosophical mood. I’m not going to stop writing any time soon. We head into battle in the next day – it’s the biggest I’ve seen, and the briefings are more intense than usual. Jeannemary’s training progresses nicely however, and we should have two competent brawlers on the battlefield tomorrow. Isaac has taken to ninth house necromancy like leeks to ninth house soil and we have upwards of 20 clattering hands walking around our quarters. They fall apart quickly (especially as Jeannemary, who has never had to put up with skeleton servants, tends to smash them) but they clack in the familiar ninth house way. If anything with the loss of your trial, at least you do not have to confront that vast unknown, right?

All the worst regards,

Gideon

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the discord for the inspiration & [canadianwheatpirates](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadianwheatpirates/works) for the beta.  
> Title from Hozier's NFWMB


End file.
